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Objective

The Slamdance Screenplay Competition is dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging writing talent. We welcome screenplays in every genre, on any topic, from anywhere in the world. A unique feature of the competition is providing constructive feedback for every entrant. In addition to this, we also offer a more intensive coverage service for a supplementary fee. Now in our 23rd year, we have a history of highlighting talented, independent screenwriters and introducing them to the entertainment industry. All of our readers approach scripts differently, but in general we are looking for originality and promise in a work. As an organization, we strive to foster an independent spirit among new writers and our filmmaking community. The Slamdance Screenplay Competition has consistently linked finalists work to management representation, option and production agreements. We've established a strong track record through our competition successes and are committed to championing outstanding new work.

Our competition consists of four categories. Awards are given to the top three scripts in each category. In addition to that, Slamdance will present the Grand Prize for the best screenplay, regardless of category.

Short

Original Teleplay

Feature

Horror

Deadline/Entry Fees

Expired. Previous Deadline: 07/27/2018

Notification: September 17th, 2018 - Announce Quarter-Finalists - in no particular order
September 24th, 2018 - Announce Semi-Finalists - In no particular order
October 1st, 2018 - Announce Top 12 scripts - In no particular order
October 11th, 2018 - WGAW Party for Finalists - Announce Winners

Rules

Rules:

Screenplays must not have been previously optioned, purchased or produced.

Screenplays must not have received awards from other competitions over $500.00 at the time of entry.

Screenwriters who have had previous feature screenplays produced and distributed by non-independent means are ineligible.

Screenplays must be in English, formatted in 12-point courier font.

Don't cheat in an effort to keep the page count to 120 or less. We will notice and ask that the extra fee be paid for screenplays in excess of 120 pages. As a standard rule, 1.5" left, 1" right and 1" top and bottom is a good one.

To enter the Slamdance Screenplay Competition you must agree to its Terms and Conditions.

The Slamdance Screenplay Competition Readers' decisions are final.

Teleplays must not have been previously optioned, purchased or produced.

Slamdance is not responsible for screenplays or coverage stolen or lost in transit

For screenplays longer than 120 pages, fifteen dollars is added to the regular entry fees.

Cover pages are optional. If you decide to use one, it would ideally include just a title, author name, WGA registration number and Copyright information.

Awards

A total of $16,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners this year.

The Grand Prize winner will receive $8,000 in cash.

The winners of the Short, Feature, Horror, and Original Teleplay categories will receive $2,000 in cash, each.

The top three screenwriters in each category will receive prize packages that include Festival Passes good for all screenings and parties at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (January 2018)

The top three screenwriters in the Feature and Horror category are eligible for membership in the Writers Guild of America’s Independent Writers Caucus.

The winning Horror feature and Feature screenplays will receive $2,500 in legal services from Pierce Law Group, LLP

The top three screenwriters in each category will receive merchandise from the Slamdance SHOP
(T-shirts, beanies, etc.).

The top three screenwriters in each category will be included in the 2018 Slamdance Film Festival program which is distributed to industry professionals in Park City and year round.

Production companies, studios, top agencies and managers request to read our top scripts.

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Contest Comments

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Updated: 10/10/2013

Slamdance and JuntoBox Films, a collaborative film studio for filmmakers and fans, today announced a partnership for the 2013 Screenplay Competition to discover and support emerging writing talent. This year's Grand Prize by JuntoBox Films is the largest offered by Slamdance to the winning writer in the nineteen years of the competition's history. In addition to the $10,000 cash, JuntoBox Films is committing a minimum of $50,000 towards production financing with the option to fully fund the Grand Prize winner.

Updated: 03/12/2013

The Bloodline, written by Sneha Koorse, has won the 2012 Slamdance Writing Competition Grand Prize. Sneha was awarded $8,000 in cash prizes for her original teleplay at an awards ceremony hosted by the Writers Guild Of America, West last night on October 3, 2012. It's the first time a teleplay has won Slamdance's Grand Prize.

Interviews

MovieBytes Interview:Screenwriter Andrew B Smith

Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?

A: “Hay’s Code” is a comedy. In 1934, a gay director named Roger Hay has to shoot a movie based on a gay novel. The studio doesn’t know that, of course, so he has to make the movie without revealing its true content or, naturally, his own sexuality. Eventually he and his cast and crew must defend the film before the zealous enforcers of the Hays Code that governed the movie business then.

Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?

A: Slamdance is finding new voices, genuine diversity, and smaller films that might get overlooked at other places.

“Hay’s Code” won the Skyline Award, first place for Best City Story, at Slamdance.

The script also placed third in the “One in Ten” contest.

Q: Were you satisfied with the adminstration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?

A: The folks at Slamdance and at Andrew Lauren Productions were great. Everything’s more exciting now that so many gay-themed movies were nominated for so many Oscars. There’s buzz from all directions. We’re pumped.

Q: Were you given any feedback on your script? If so, did you find the feedback helpful?

A: We had a staged reading in New York at IFM, and again at Slamdance at Park City. We’ve got another one scheduled as part of “Slamdance on Stage” at 7:30 pm, Thursday, April 13, at Renberg Theatre in The Village at Ed Gould Plaza in Los Angeles.

The feedback from audiences has been, y’know, laughter. That’s why we keep bringing the story to the stage. People enjoy being immersed in another time and place that are so relevant to right now. They’re fascinated by the history. The story is screwball comedy wrapped inside the stifling, life-and-death 1930s. It’s for real, there’s a lot at stake, but it’s fun. When you make people laugh, you get them to care about your characters and what’s happening to them. Laughter is a revolutionary act.

Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?

A: I’ve had meetings with the big agencies and management firms, and I’ve narrowed it down to two or three. They're calling me "multi-platform" -- I write comedies and thrillers. We’re talking about an overall plan for me as well as for this story. I’ve been advised to keep it to myself, away from producers, till I sign, so we’ll see.

Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?

A: I received an honorary degree in theoretical mathematics from a fictional university.

The rules say a writer’s supposed to pick comedy or drama and stick with it, but the rules get written by rulebreakers.

Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?